| The thyroid gland is a small formation at the base of | | | | normal. The cure usually lasts for 6-8 weeks before |
| the throat with a major role in the energetic | | | | any signs of improvement appear, but the treatment |
| metabolism of the cells. Diseases of the gland appear | | | | for hypothyroidism is life-long. Periodical examinations |
| when the thyroid cells tend to work to fast or to slow | | | | are done to check the efficiency of the drugs. |
| and the adjacent symptoms in the body occur. Most | | | | Hyperthyroidism also known as goiter is the reverse |
| of the thyroid conditions are not age related; though, | | | | condition and evolves usually with changes in the eye |
| elder persons tend to suffer from more difficult | | | | area. The tissues of the gland are overactive or the |
| diseases and much more hard to diagnose because | | | | gland goes to a swelling process. In geographical points |
| of the connected other affections. | | | | like Germany or Eastern Europe hyperthyroidism is |
| Uncontrolled diabetes, bad nutrition, liver problems, heart | | | | mainly caused by the deficiency of Iodine in the drinking |
| failure and cancer are some of the conditions that | | | | water. |
| harden the diagnose of thyroid diseases in older | | | | Most commonly encountered symptoms of an |
| persons. Also heparin and drugs for epilepsy, | | | | excessive working thyroid are the loss of weight and |
| Parkinson, arthritis and aspirin can produce changes in | | | | appetite, flutter of the whole body, heart failure, |
| the thyroid testing even in case of a normal functioning | | | | sweating, staring eyes, depression, lethargy and |
| gland. Symptoms of the thyroid dysfunction caused by | | | | confusion. The precise diagnose is established after |
| different factors are often mistaken by aging signs | | | | blood testing for the hormone level but doctors must |
| and are commonly overviewed. | | | | carefully separate a thyroid condition from other |
| Although hyperthyroidism can also occur at any age, | | | | diseases or caused by different medications. |
| hypothyroidism occurs more frequent in elderly people. | | | | The endocrinologist will firstly recommend drugs to |
| It represents an under-active condition with a lower | | | | rehabilitate the function of the gland but usually the |
| secretion and release of thyroid hormones. The most | | | | treatment will last the whole life. Surgical removal of |
| common symptoms encountered in hypothyroidism | | | | the thyroid or destroying the glandular tissue by |
| are dry skin and coarse hair, sensation of cold, loss of | | | | radioactive Iodine is some of the methods available. |
| the eyebrows and lethargy. Elder persons however | | | | Both ways are relatively risk-free; Iodine can |
| can also present neurological signs like shaking and | | | | occasionally produce pain, tenderness or thyroid |
| psychological effects such as depression. Other | | | | swelling. Surgery is appealed at in case of a very large |
| medical conditions and signs of the aging process can | | | | goiter. |
| make the diagnose of thyroid dysfunction even harder. | | | | Thyroid cancers are more frequent in old persons but |
| The standard treatment for hypothyroidism is the | | | | can occur at any age in form of glandular nodules. The |
| administration of a synthetically hormone called | | | | treatment will consist of surgery, chemotherapy and |
| thyroxin or levothyroxin that should bring things back to | | | | external radiotherapy. |